Burial-casket.



W. EL-SWARTZ. BURIAL GASKET. Arrmonlon nun mm. 27, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

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conynam PLANOuRAPl-l c W. E. SWARTZ.

BURIAL GASKET.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 27, 1910.

998,133, I Patented July 18,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN E. SWARTZ, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 MILWAUKEE CASKET COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

BURIAL- CASKET.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVARREN E. SWARTZ, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial-Caskets; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention consists in what is herein particularly set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims of this specification, its object being to provide simple, practical and pleasing canopy couchburial caskets somewhat similar in general effect to what is disclosed in Letters Patent No. 969,421, of September 6, 1910, but of more economical construction, and in which the backs of the canopies are preferably arched or dome-like.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a transverse section view of a fragment of my improved burial casket having its lid and a preferred form of folding canopy therewith swung up; Fig. 2, a similar view illustrating the canopy projecting from the lid; Fig. 3, a partly sectional elevation of a detail of the structure; Fig. 4, a partly horizontal section view indicated by line lL in Fig 3; Fig. 5, a similar view indicated by line 55 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6, a partly sectional front elevation of the casket having the lid thereof swung up and the canopy-frame with said lid devoid of upholstery, and Fig. 7 a perspective view of the finished casket full open and the canopy thereof distended.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A indicates the casket-body having a drop front portion 13, the same as in the Letters Patent aforesaid, said body being upholstered upon the interior thereof to simulate a couch when said front portion of the same is swung down. The hinged lid G of the casket is built to provide space therein for the frame and upholstery of a fold ing-canopy in connection therewith.

The canopy-frame comprises a series of jointed stays that are preferably bowed. The sections D of the stays are hinged to the interior of the casket-lid and connected by a bar E, the other sections D of said stays being connected by a bar F that is in turn connected to said casket-lid by tapes G or Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 27, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

Serial No. 599,252.

able to employ a spiral-spring H having its ends at right-angles to its coil and extending transversely of the backs of the sections of a stay to which they are stapled or otherwise rigidly secured, in opposite directions from the joint of said stay-sections, the set of said spring being such that the folding portion of the canopy-frame is always under tension.

It is preferable to provide for latching the section D of an intermediate stay of the canopy-frame to the lid of the casket when the canopy is folded and swung within the confines of said lid. As a means to this end the back of said stay-section is shown as provided with a wedge-block I engageable with a seat-block J provided upon the inside of said lid and having wedge-block grippers K therewith. Each of these grippers is preferably a single piece of spring-wire suitably bent to provide a spiral-coil en gaged by a pin L driven into the seat-block J, the remainder of the wire being extended in the form of arms at approximately a right-angle to one another. One arm is stapled or otherwise fastened to said seatblock, and the remaining arm is normally in the path of said wedge-block, its free extremity being spirally coiled to obtain the best results.

A front portion M of the canopy-upholstery may constitute an extension of the lining of the casket-body. That portion N of the upholstery constituting the top of the canopy is provided with an inner stiffenerstrip O, which same is creased or scored to fold inward and thereby compel similar folding of the other upholstery material therewith when the contracted canopy as a whole is swung back within the confines of the casket-lid. A similar strip P is employed in connection with each end-stay of the canopy-frame to prevent sagging of the adjacent end Q of the upholstery of the canopy when said canopy is extended. Each stiffener-strip P is creased or scored adjacent to the joint of the corresponding frame-stay to facilitate folding when the canopy is being contracted, and a cord-loop It is shown in connection with said canopy to facilitate manipulation of the same.

From the foregoing and the illustrations herewith it will be readily understood that the canopy is normally folded and within the confines of the casket-lid. Now if this lid be swung up, the canopy may be extended by a lift and pull upon the folding portion of its frame, said canopy being then as shown in Fig. Preliminary to lowering the swung-up casket-lid, the canopy is contracted by folding down the extended frame portion thereof and the swinging of said canopy as a whole within the confines of said lid, where it is automatically fastened by means similar to those above specified.

Any suitable brace may be employed to prop the casket-lid in the swung up position herein shown, such a brace being common in the art, and particular attention is called to the arch or dome back effect of the extended canopy herein shown, this being an important result of my improved canopy construction.

I claim:

1. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding canopy frame comprising a series of jointed stays having sections thereof hinged to the inside of the lid, and a spring or springs arranged in connection with stay-sections of the frame to automatically hold the folding portion of the same in folded position.

2. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding frame hinged to the inside of the lid, and a canopy upholstery in connection with said lid and frame having an upper inwardly folding stiffening strip.

3. The combination with a burialmasket lid, of a folding frame hinged to the inside of the lid, canopy upholstery in connection with said lid and frame, and folding stiffening-strips for said upholstery in connection with end stays of the aforesaid frame.

f. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a series of stay-sections hinged at one end to the inside of the lid and connected by a bar, another series of stay-sections in spring-controlled hinge-connection with those aforesaid and also connected by a bar, the jointed stays and bars constituting a foldil'ig-frame, means limiting outward. swing of the extended frame, means for latching the folded frame within the confines of said lid, and canopy upholstery in connection with the lid and frame.

The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding canopy frame hinged to the inside of the lid, a scat-block attached to said lid, a wedge-block in connection with said frame to have engagement with the seat-block, and wedge-block grippers attached to said seat-block.

3. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding canopy frame hinged to the inside of the lid, and flexible devices connecting said lid and the folding portion of the frame to limit outward swing of said frame.

7. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding frame comprising a series of bowed and jointed stays having sections thereof in swing-connection with the lid, and folding upholstery in connection with the frame to therewith form a canopy having an arched or dome-like back when swung out from the lid and extended, the canopy as a whole being normally foldable within the confines of said lid.

8. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding frame comprising a series of bowed and jointed stays having sections thereof in swing connection with the lid, an expansile and contractile device crossing the joint of each stay and connected at its ends to the sections of said stay, and folding up holstery .in connection with the frame to therewith form a canopy having an arched or dome-like back when swung out from the lid and extended, the canopy as a whole being normally foldable within the confines of said lid.

9. The combination with a burial-casket lid, of a folding frame comprising a series of bowed and jointed stays having sections thereof in swing connection with the lid, au expansile and contractile device crossing the joint of each stay and connected at its ends to the sections of said stay, folding upholstery in connection with the frame to therewith form a canopy having an arched or dome-like back when swung out from the lid and extended, the canopy as a whole being normally foldable within the confines of said lid, and flexible devices connecting the aforesaid lid and the folding portion of said frame to limit outward swing of the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lViscousin, in the presence of two witnesses.

lVARREN E. SlVARTZ. lVitnesses GEO. W. YOUNG, GASANAVE YOUNG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

